“A massive amount of work went into overhauling animation systems, targeting, and camerawork to really open up new opportunities for the player in the kind of freeform, open-world action shootouts that are the heart of Grand Theft Auto,” associate technical director and combat designer Phil Hooker recently told GameInformer.

“We wanted shooting to feel more precise and satisfying while supporting multiple styles of play.” He added. “The controls have been expanded, so now in addition to traditional left trigger ‘down the sights’ aiming, you can also both run and shoot comfortably while only using the right trigger. This retains the benefits of seeing your character from the third-person view while keeping the feel much closer to the range of motion and shooting precision you have in a first-person shooter. It also opens up opportunities for players to develop their skills in both single-player and multiplayer, as the more accurate you are while moving quickly the greater your advantage.”

To enhance plyers’ mobility during gun fights and the general feel of combat, Hooker explained that “If you fire your weapon, or become engaged in a fight, your character’s bearing changes and your default speed switches from a casual walk to a combat jog, giving you improved mobility as well as a greater sense of urgency. If there’s no threat or you haven’t been firing, you’ll revert back to a relaxed state.”

What’s really cool is that “Each character’s personality is also reflected in the way they move and handle weapons, whether it’s Trevor’s aggressiveness, Franklin’s swagger, or Michael’s efficiency,” according to Hooker.

He went on to explain that gunplay in GTA V isn’t heavily influenced by one recent past game in particular (eg. GTA IV, Red Dead Redemption, or Max Payne 3), but, instead, incorporates a mixture of all three titles. “The best way to describe the gunplay is that it’s evolved through influences of all three games,” he said. “It’s still GTA-based at its core, but as we’ve collaborated with other studios along the way we’ve tried to bring in all the appropriate parts from the different projects, from the more advanced cover components and targeting of Red Dead Redemption to the more fluid transitions in and out of gun combat from Max Payne 3. The main push for gunplay on GTA V was trying to make everything as dynamic and fluid as possible, from animation to targeting to camera behavior – we’re trying to push every aspect to the next level.”

Hooker then went into details regarding GTA V’s targeting system, mentioning that players will have a choice.

“For GTA V, we’ve split targeting out into three distinct modes: assisted aiming, traditional GTA, and free aim. Assisted aiming gives players a larger targeting area as well as a little more help analyzing targets to try and pick the largest threat. Traditional GTA is the closest to previous GTA’s soft lock option. It shares all the characteristics of assisted aiming, with the additional ability to flick left and right between targets using the right stick.”

“Another new refinement is that every aim mode now has a timer that breaks lock so you have to be more tactical in your approach – you can no longer just rely on holding and shooting until a target is dead.”

Along with mention of other additions to hopefully make free aim as fluid as possible, Hooker stated that “experienced shooter players should feel more comfortable than ever playing the entire game in free aim.”

Hooker listed a few notable improvements to the cover system as well, saying that players will notice a much more seamless transition between driving a car and then using the car as cover, or vice versa.

Lasltly, on the topic of weapon customization, Hooker revealed that “Ammunation makes its return in GTA V, but now you can indeed customize your weapons.”

“The player has access to a wide range of modifications, such as extended clips that allow you to fire more ammo between reloads, grips to improve your accuracy, weapon tints to color your guns, flashlights, scopes, and suppressors. Attachments such as suppressors allow the player to adapt their approach to some missions and take a stealth option. It’s all part of broadening the range of tactical options for the player.”

With all these improvements to the gunplay, it seems like shooter nuts will have a lot to look forward to in GTA V, both in the single player and multiplayer. Anything Phil Hooker mentioned that really piqued your interest? We want to know.

Fuck Call of Duty and Fuck Battlefield. GTA 5 is the ONLY game I’m looking foward to this year. (P.S. must remember to let my job know that I need Sept 17th off…)

DellyDellz

Are you serious, not only player customization, not only car customization, but gun customization too? Rockstar has outdone themselves once again. Today was better than all of E3 #D

Alex Melendez

Than all E3 is going too far. Its an awesome game and all but there are also other games that made e3 like bf4

DellyDellz

BF4 is nice, and I should have specified all of E3 for PS3.

Dirtknap

They have certainly stepped up their game, however it seems Rockstar are learning from their competitors at Volition (as speculated yesterday).

DanDustEmOff

Thing is they had it all except the weapon customization in SA. Then decided not to put it into GTA4. Seems they have learnt their lesson though.

Dirtknap

Indeed. I’d also like to know how they will handle customized vehicles etc. Will they take the SR approach with all vehicles permanently available at safe houses, or will it be a classic GTA treat with care mentality because its not lasting forever?

DanDustEmOff

Probably GTA style.

Dirtknap

Lends itself to the grittier presentation I suppose, also makes sense in terms of giving the economy some real, tangible weight. If we drop loads on car customization, we’re going to want to ensure we get it back to the garage safely or we’re bound to feel it in the pocket.

Magilla187

if it looks this good on current gen consoles can you guys just imagine how much more they would be able to do with next gen when they make their next project ? and PC a lot of people will go bankrupt this year between next gen consoles upgrading your GPU and just so many games….

great year for gamers

ESTx1992

Volition sold out with Saints Row. Saints Row 1 & 2 were 2 of my favorite games, Saints Row 3 was alright but you could see they wanted a graphical edge over GTA but dropped the serious story lines. And then Saints Row IV you can tell Voliction just said fuck it, we’re done trying to compete with Rockstar and went over the top with a retarded story line and even more stupid “DLC” style game features. But I see what you’re saying. Rockstar is capitalizing on what Volition did right and laughing at were they went wrong.

Dirtknap

Pretty much. I’ve enjoyed the SR series to date and was pretty keen on the forth iteration for some unplug your brain fun. With Saints Row I adopt an “it is what it is” approach and have no problems with the direction the franchise has taken, I especially appreciate the tongue in cheek self deprecating humor. However, after seeing what Rockstar have been up to I think I’m going to have to switch camps again.

blackmorth

Yeah dude, this game is fucking amazing, I would like to see it runing on PC =)

dumyspeed

THAT’S why all their games make tons of cash, they put always new good things, and i dont care if they make a game every 10 years or so, gta is gta and even after 5 years u will play it again. like vice city or san andreas

ThtJstHapnd

In Rockstar we trust!

Mr. Thuggins

At Rockstar we thrust… our genitals… in pure joy.

Just saying

This game will stay in my PS3 for a long long time and it might be forever :))

Ryupyroa

Super hyped. Would love to see a PC version down the road but these console versions look damn good.

HurlingDervish

“extended clips, grips, flashlights, scopes, and suppressors”

It’s like they’re not even trying to cover up the fact that they’re stealing ideas from Battlefield…

Mr. Thuggins

I hope you’re being sarcastic…

DanDustEmOff

He is not you should read his comment on the last GTA article. Proper full retard.

Mr. Thuggins

I’m still going to hold out hope that he’s just a troll trying to be funny because, stupidity of that level is discouraging.

HurlingDervish

Uh, no? I actually noticed a trend in games stealing ideas from BF. First COD Ghosts stole levolution and destruction, now GTAV is stealing vehicles and weapon customization. Guess BF4’s stunning debut at E3 caught the other developers flat-footed.

DanDustEmOff

Dude you really are limited GTA has always had vehicles. Its been in development for 5 years whatever Dice unveiled at e3 would be way to late to put into this game.

Mr. Thuggins

Oh man, you are special.

DanDustEmOff

Told you didn’t I.

Mr. Thuggins

There’s no way he is serious or that ignorant…

DanDustEmOff

I didn’t think it was possible either then he appeared. The overlord of the dumb asses walks among us.

Magilla187

LOL you called him the “overlord of dumbasses” thats his new name sir

Mr. Thuggins

Sad thing is, some people actually agree with him, so that means he’s not alone…

the greater gamer

Yea the feel sorry kind, dont point and laugh kids.

James Mulhall

You do realise CoD had a lot more customization first when Battlefield didn’t.. right. And not trying to be a fanboy or start a war with BF4 fans, but I wasn’t impressed with BF4, the only reason it looked different was because they removed that stupid color tint, and then everyone seems to call it the best game ever because a building fell down. What exactly did they do that was really innovative over BF3? Nothing tbh, they just fixed BF3’s problems and added a giant building that falls when you destroy certain points under it. And don’t take this the wrong way, I’m a Battlefield player myself, and chances are I’ll be playing it on release. But I don’t see why everyone is saying it looks amazing and acting like its new and innovative.

Alex Melendez

Sea warfare….

James Mulhall

Battlefield 1942 had sea warfare.. BF3 technically had sea warfare it just wasn’t great. And if you mean being able to shoot while in the water and go under the water which if you haven’t noticed looked really buggy, its nothing to call innovative.

blackmorth

Buggy? it’s a fucking alpha, what about the second sun of CoD? or the bad textures in some moments of GTA V? please stop hating in a trailer/gameplay of an OLD and ALPHA version of the game.

James Mulhall

Is that really an excuse? It’s in ‘alpha’? The game is basically built off of BF3, these features were most likely the first things they worked and its still buggy. BF3 alpha had bugs and they were still there on release. Also, you do realise GTA V is running on a PS3 in the game? All the BF4 footage we’ve seen has been on next-gen consoles or PC. Of course the game is going to have bad textures on a 7 year old console, its a huge open world, not a small MP map.

blackmorth

Ooh and CoD is very innovative right? I liked you comment until I read the third line.

James Mulhall

When did I say CoD was innovative?

Joseph

Don’t bother speaking til it’s out, then begin to find flaws in it. Or whatever it is you’re doing.

Joseph

Dude you couldn’t get any worse even if you wanted…

DanDustEmOff

Yeah cause BF were the first to put weapon customization in to a game.

the greater gamer

No they invented gaming itself BWAA BWAA BWAA

phillypro

BF4 stole the frostbite engine from reality itself…..i can break things in real life